Its abolition in the coalition government's first round of cuts in July was widely condemned and drew letters of support from such Hollywood luminaries as Steven Spielberg, Clint Eastwood, Helen Mirren and Liam Neeson. But in the end, the UK Film Council went quietly.

31 March was the final official day of business at the UKFC's offices in Little Portland Street, London, and 38 former Film Council staff today find themselves working for the British Film Institute, which will take over many of the abolished body's functions. Others, including the office of the British Film Commissioner, have been transferred to regional agency Film London, which will oversee the task of promoting the UK as a film-making destination.

The decision to hand the BFI responsibility for distributing lottery funding to film-makers came in November, partly assuaging widespread concern that the government had not considered the future of public investment in British movies when making its decision to axe the council. At the same time Ed Vaizey, the culture minister, further sugared the pill by announcing that the £28m lottery grant the industry receives would be increased to around £43m by 2014.

Jane Goldman, writer of Kick-Ass and the forthcoming superhero tale X Men: First Class, said she was a "huge supporter". She added: "It's a difficult time; hopefully things will become streamlined. I've got a couple of other projects which I guess will filter into the BFI."